No script is perfect on first draft. Even iconic films like Casablanca underwent several changes – it was originally a play called Everybody Comes to Rick’s when Warner Bros purchased it in 1940.
Bonds - shaken, not stirred?
They may not be as exciting as a suave Brit exploring far-flung corners of the world in the name of espionage, but bonds are experiencing a bit of fame recently for all the wrong reasons.
Choosing the Greener Path
Investors have been increasingly looking for options aligning with their personal ethics and values, without compromising on potential returns – and evidence is saying they can get both.
Banking on Change
In the past few years, we’ve seen moves from big banks offloading their investment and insurance offerings.
The Downsides of DIY Investing
With home ownership out of reach for many people, we’re seeing shifts in investing priorities that align with generational differences, particularly from Millennials and Gen Z. Following on from Boomers, who are tipped as the wealthiest generation in history, things are tough in a world where costs keep rising and outpacing income.
When it Rains, it Pours
A Consumer NZ sentiment tracker recently reported that 15 per cent of New Zealanders have no savings, 27 per cent were anxious about the level of their savings, and one in ten of the respondents indicated spending more than they saved over the past three months.
Are Concerns About Inflation Inflated?
Okay, the annual inflation is now running at 3.3%. In the June 2021 quarter compared with the March 2021 quarter, the New Zealand Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 1.3%. A much stronger lift than the market expectations. So what does it mean to us?
All Roads Lead to Rome
No matter the vehicle was chosen to navigate, once a company enters the public marketplace, it becomes subject to the same interactions between the supply and demand for securities that shape equity prices each day.
Good and getting better
Why would the couple in their 50’s have such a different outlook to the man in his 30’s? It’s hard to be a successful investor unless you’re an optimist. Firstly, if everyone does well, you’re likely to do better as an investor.
Trust Law is finally here
In just 14 days the new Trust Act 2019 will come into law from 30 January 2021. Be sure to talk with a financial adviser with a fiduciary responsibility to review your objectives and goals to ensure that the trust is still relevant and is being properly managed.
The Value Dilemma
Every investor will face a conundrum at some point: what to do when their beliefs don't work. Sometimes it's an assumption that becomes lore. A favoured company paid a dividend for 20 straight years. Of course, it's not going to ever stop paying a dividend… then it stops paying a dividend. A dagger to the heart! An outrage, there were plans for that money!
Through a different lens
With most things in our life, we get a second opinion of some form or another. From purchasing a new car, changing jobs, getting a doctor's opinion, or entering into a new relationship, we want to make sure it is right for us before we make a serious decision that impacts our future. But why is it that so many of us do not tend to do the same for our financial health?
True value creates true wealth
Finding the best place to put your investments and KiwiSaver can be tricky, but you don't have to do it alone. A financial adviser can help build a portfolio based on your risk appetite and goals. An adviser with a fiduciary duty will have tools to assess how much risk you are happy to take and develop a plan to reach certain milestones in your life.
Beyond 2020 and Elections
On the night of October 17, 2020, I like five million other Kiwis, watched the general election results roll in. Based on pre-election polls there was little doubt that Labour would form the government again. the New Zealand markets were unrattled by the result and looked pretty steady with investors relaxed after the Labour Party secured a historic majority in the general election.
Bonus Bonds: One birde in the hande is better
Questions are coming in; folks are weighing up their options and wanting to know what is the best investment vehicle out there to put their Bonus Bonds money in as the ANZ's 50-year-old scheme will be wound up with money returned to bondholders.
The new face of wealth and legacy
Whilst no one sets out to leave a financial mess behind if they lose mental capacity or pass away, but if you want to leave your family fond memories rather than confusion and conflict, you need to properly consider and document your legacy plans.
Vices and virtues | Covid-19 Special Focus
I often hear stories about how people mistake their knowledge, expertise or success in one area for giving them some insight into investing or investment markets. No one should ever make the mistake of believing their brilliance in one area will equal brilliance elsewhere.
The cost of short-sighted investing | COVID-19 Special Focus
If you are frequently checking the portfolio balance, then you may see a rise in your anxiety and stress levels. Behavioural finance studies confirm that investors tend to be more cautious when they check portfolios regularly, with adverse long-term consequences for their investing goals.
Investing FOMO | Covid-19 Special Focus
Investing FOMO is when you watch a share price soar to new highs, and you realise you missed out on the opportunity. You might spend the next hours, days, weeks thinking about what could have been the returns. This type of self-talk and do-it-yourself financial planning is damaging to your mental health and retirement goals.
Watch out for those pirate funds
A few minutes into trading on the third of February 2020 the ASX released a list of companies whose securities had been suspended from trading for an unacceptable period of time. It was removing their listings from the exchange. Why? Various reasons, but most had gone bust. Many were now shells.
